Should the Irish people ELECT it's Taoiseach (Prime Minister)? Would this generate more interest in poltics?

Question

At present the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) is appointed by the President of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the House of Representatives).

Is it just me or is Irish politics as a whole a big, huge farce? No ordinary Irish person seems to care about national politics except for the odd statement such as "The health service has gone to the dogs". It doesn't help that Irish politicians nowadays are the most boring politicians on the face of the Earth who, when they speak, you get the sense that even THEY don't believe what they're saying! Collins and de Valera must be turning in their graves.

Answer 1

No wonder no one is interest in politic. Just look at Fianna Fall a party of corruption, bribes, scandals pay off etc. Bertie set up the Mahon Tribunal but when it got to close to Bertie financial affairs he tried to shut up the tribunal.

Now who would be interests in politic after all that?

Answer 2

That's not how it works.

The president doesn't get to choose who the Taoiseach is.

The people vote for a party (the president gets her one vote too).

Then the leader of the winning party is made Taoiseach.

If the leader resigns the party elect a new leader and then the president "appoints" the leader. She has to appoint the leader the Dáil pick.

The people elect the Dáil.

She has no more say over it then any ordinary citizen.

If you don't like the Taoiseach, vote for a different party next time round.

It wouldn't make any difference if we did it the other way round.

Like in England they vote for the leader and that determines what party will be in power.

We vote for the party and that determines what leader will be in power.

Swapping between the two wont make any difference.

Answer 3

I don't see how directly electing the Taoiseach is going to generate more interest in politics. Sure one of the things people were talking about in the last election was how people were voting Ahern or Kenny rather than FF or FG, weren't they?

To be honest, I think we have one of the fairest election processes, and we do get afairly high turnout during general elections. I do think there is a problem though with getting young people interested in politics though

Answer 4

who cares!!!!!!!!